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“For God Himself works in our souls, in the deepest depths, taking increasing control as we are progressively willing to be prepared for His wonder.”

Thomas R. Kelly

Do I know how it feels to be “satisfied?”

INSPIRATION

I grew up at a time when family meals were normally set on the table at a specific time of day. In my parents’ home, you were expected to be at the table on time. Most of my early years, my parents did not have a television, so there wasn’t anything to distract us while we ate. We came to the table to eat and talk to each other, especially in the evening at suppertime, when my sister and I would provide a detailed report about what we did at school. This was often in response to my dad’s “famous” question: “What did you learn today?” My mom, who was and is, an extraordinarily great cook could be counted on to provide some delicious favorites on a routine basis every night and when we had cleaned our plates, my dad usually ended the meal with these words: “Well, I’m sufficiently sufficed.”

I had no idea as a young child what in the world he was saying. Nor did I know what he meant by the statement. All I knew was that a smile would come across my mother’s face whenever Daddy used the words, “sufficiently sufficed.”

Today, many years later, I know what “sufficiently sufficed” means. It means: “My desire has been satisfied.” In the case of my dad, it meant that his desire for food had been provided by the work of my mother’s hands in preparing a fabulous meal.

Not long ago, I was reading the autobiography of a deeply spiritual person who, throughout their life, sought to deepen their relationship with God. As I read about their devotion to an increased spirituality, I began to feel the same hunger inside myself. A longing for more of God’s presence, not less. Has this ever happened to you? Perhaps a crisis in your life such as an unexpected family problem; a devastating health issue; or the breakdown of a relationship has led you to say, “I need – I desire – I long for more of God.”

If you find yourself wanting more, then Matthew 5: 6 should bring great joy to your life and put a smile on your face. For we are promised that if we hunger and thirst after righteousness – if we want to be right on track with God – in no uncertain terms we are told, “You will be filled. You will be satisfied.” Or to quote my dad, “you will be sufficiently sufficed!”

The Christian theologian, C. S. Lewis, who himself spent a great deal of time devoted to the cultivation of a deeply spiritual life, wrote these beautiful words:

“In God there is no hunger that needs to be filled, only plenteousness that desire to give.”

Isn’t this wonderful? What it says to me is that when I bring my hunger and thirst for God to Him, He begins immediately to fulfill my desire. He doesn’t wait and say, “Improve yourself. Or come back later, I’m too busy right now. Or I’ve filled my quota of desire for today.” No, He answers the yearning of my heart right then and there. And, here’s the best part. When God satisfies me – when He fills me up --- He does it out of His “plenteousness.” His ability to satisfy you and me will never, ever run out because He has plenty of His love, goodness, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and grace to go around. And when we get up from His table of love, we can say with confidence, “I’m sufficiently sufficed!” All our heart’s yearning has been satisfied.

“I thank thee, O Lord, that Thou hast so set eternity within my heart that no earthly thing can ever satisfy me wholly.”

John Baillie

AFFIRMATION

Fill My Cup, Lord

“Like the woman at the well I was seeking,
For things that could not satisfy;
And then I heard my Saviour speaking,
‘Draw from the well that never shall run dry.’

Fill my cup, Lord,
I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of Heaven, feed me ‘till I want no more
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole”

Richard Blanchard

“Let us give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for us. For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

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